Inner tube radiation with internal metallic conduction



T. J. LEHANE ET AL 2,372,502

ER TUBE RADIATION WITH INTERNAL METALLIC CONDUCTION March 27, 1945.

INN

Filed Feb. v14, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 1 and 72m@ k (Jim 5.

March 27, 1945. T. J. LEHANE ET AL INNER TUBE RADIATION WITH INTERNAL METALLIC CONDUCTION Filed Feb.. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'mo and fo/n Patented Mar. 27, 1945 INNER TUBE RADIATION WITH'INTERNAL METALLIC ooNDUo'rIoN ',limothyV :L I'ehanel and John van vulpen, ohicago, Ill., assgnorsto Vapor Car Heating Cornpany, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a'corporation vof New York Applicanpn February 14, 1942-, serial No. 430,955

heat outputcanbe restricted as desired. Several methods fof. accomplishing this latter resultare' This invention relates -to 'improvements "in" a* steam heating system-,/and more particularly' to improvements in a radiator for' use "asv a part of such a system, together with meansi'orbon'f trolling the supplyof steam to such va radiator. In general, the radiator is-jof the type compris? ing an outer radiating pipe provided with a plurality of spaced radiating ribsV or tins adapted to increase the radiating vor-heat-transmitting sur#- face and an inner pipe or tubethrough whichthe steam is admitted at one end in a Vrestricted or' controlled manner. The opposite end of the in ner tube is open while the corresponding en d of the outer tube extends beyond this opening and is closed. y Steam and condensate from the inner` pipe will flow back through `the outer pipe,be"

tween the inner and outerpipesand will be `disf'A charged from an opening/inthe outer pipead-` jacent the admission end of the inner pipe. Nor# mallythe far end` of `a radiator ofthisl ltype. that is,` the end remote from theinlet and. dis-` charge openings, will be the hotter end. yThisy is because 'the steam will now with'coniparativsly' little loss of heaty through the` innerfpipe tothe'Y` remote discharge end thereof,y and the maximum" heat radiation from the outer pipe., will, occur (particularly at rst) from the remote v,end of this pipe in. which the steam is discharged from'the.

inner pipe.

In order to equalizel this heat-transmission throughout the length of the radiator; a' direct metallic contact is providedvbetween the'- inner and oute'i` pipes substantiallyv 'throughout the length of these 'pipes so that-therel will bea direct conduction of heat from the inner tofthe1 outer pipe (which isl discharged from Qthe'outer hns)` before the steam reaches the.y open remote end of the vinner pipe and hows directly into thel outer pipe. This metallic contact may be provided for in several ways, examples'oftwo of which'are hereinafter disclosed. In addition'to thisjtl'iere will be a direct transmissionof'heatwfrom the uncondensed steam flowing fromthe inner.` to the outer pipe after the steam and other fluids leave the inner pipe and return through the'fouter pipe. 'I he returning condensate 'between' the pipes 'will' also transfer heat from th'iscondens'ate through the outer pipe, aswell asf'formingl an additionalconducting material between the pipes. As a net result, the transmission ofheat from allportions ofY the radiatorthroughoutzthe length thereof will be'largely equaliz'ed. ,CooperatingV with the above, means are provided/*for f modulating orcontrollin'g the fiow-of steam into the' inner pipe -of the radiator so that the totall ycontinuous metallic spacer between the pipes,-

hereinafter disclosed.

The principal object of .this invention is to pro-l ;vide an improved. radiator and control means therefor as ybriefly described hereinabove and. disclosed more'in detail in the specications' which follow.` l

'Another .object Vis to providea radiator of this improved type including means for maintaining a continuous metallic contact between the inner, and outer pipes throughout the length of the radiator.

' Another object is to make the twov pipes non- -concentric so that the pipes will be in line-l engagement at one side throughout the entire length thereof.

A other object -is to provide ya lsubstantiallyI throughout the` length thereof, this spacer being designedA soas not ltointerfere with the return flow of iluid between the pipes.

Other objects are to provideseveral alterna--- tive forms of valve or control means for restrictf ing the low of steam into the inner pipe .ofv they Vradiator.

tother objects and advantages of the 'inventionwill be moreapparent from the following jdetailed* description ofV certain'approved forms of apparatus designed to c'arryoui-l the ,principles of l this invention'. e ,f

In the accompanying drawings z' v Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially4 radiator land. associated parts. l

Fig.' Zis a transverse vertical section, on a-some.-

whatlarger scale, taken substantially yon theline Fig. 3 is lalongitudinal vertical section through Fig. fis an elevation and-longitudinal vertical 4 section through a manually operated valve,.` and the vadjacent end portions of the radiator such as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig.v 7 is a vertical section ature-modulated valve which might be substituted for the manually operated valve oi'Fig. 6;

Referring lirst more particularly to Figsl and' 2.,"s`tean1y from the source of supplynwill'iiow through pipe A into the control valve-B and i incentral vertical section, showing rone approvedffornfrof.,v

through a temper-A`v thence into the inner supply pipe of the radiator indicated generally at C. Fluids discharged from the radiator will pass out through the pipe D and the steam trap E therein. Steam from pipe A will ow into the valve chamber I and thence through ports 2 in cage 3 past the valve 5 into and through the port 4 leading into the inner pipe I of the radiator C. Valve 5 is carried by stem 6 slidable through the cage 3 and this valve may be moved to closed position (in seat 4) by a spring or by an electrically operated solenoid. As indicated diagrammatically in Fig.'5 the valve is closed by spring 8 and is opened by the solenoid 9, when energized, s'o as to draw the core I thereinto against the action of spring 8. Conversely the valve could be electrically closed and opened by means of a spring.

When the valve is in open position, steam will flow into and through the inner pipe I, thence through the remote open end II of this pipe into the cap I2 closing theremote end of' the outer pipe I3 of the radiator.V The fluids en'- tering this remote end of radiator Cwill flow back around pipe 1 and between the pipesrintothe discharge chamber I4 of the valve casing I5 and thence through port I Il rinto the discharge ypipe D. If there is any uncondensed steam remaining inthe fluids passing through discharge pipe D,

the trap, E will prevent the discharge of this steam. This trap comprises a bellows I1con taining a heat-responsive fluid, this bellows expandingin the presence of steam to force the valve member I8 against the seat I9 and ,cut 01T the flow of fluid through dischargeV pipe D, beyond the trap.' In the presence of condensate vand other cooler fluids, the bellows I1 will lcontract and open the valve I8 so as to perrnit'thesev f luids'toilow out through the extensions D of' the discharge Dipe- 4 The radiator C (in theform shownin Figsil and 2) comprises the inner pipe 'l andeuter pipe I3, as already described, the outer-'end of pipe I3 being closed by the cap I2, and the inner end being rseateda't 20 in'a port or opening at' outer end of valve casing l5.

Radiator C will normally be much longer than of heat from the steam in the innerpipe to thea steam flowing in uncondensed form (for the most part) completely through the pipe'lv Iand not` being condensed until it has emerged into the outer pipe I3. For this reason theremote end of the radiator (that is the end adjacent the cap I2) is normally hotter,l particularlyat the beginning of operations and until steam insuilicint quantities khas flowed .back` through the outer pipe toward the discharge end.V

In the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the

maintain the metallic contact between the pipes at the opposite side.

It will thus be seen that there is a continuous metallic engagement between the pipes at al1 points throughout their length and much of the steam in inner pipe 'I will be condensed, the heat beingy conducted directly between the metallic members and radiated from the outer fins 2|. A considerable portion of the heat from the incoming steam will thus be delivered from the radiator ywhile the steam is flowing through the inner pipe l toward its remote delivery end II. Any steam remaining in the inner pipe I and flowing back 'through the outer .pipe I3 will be condensed and give upits steam in this pipe, but in the event that the flow of steam should be excessive and ow out through dischargevpipe D, this flow of steam will be stopped by the trap E.

All condensate and non-condensable gases will flow back through the space between the inner and outer pipes and thence be discharged through pipe D and trap E. Ther greater portion of the heat remaining in the condensate will be radiated and utilized through outer pipe I3 and ns- 2I.

This condensate flowing between ypipes 'l and I3 will form an additional means to conduct heat from the steam in the inner pipe to the outer pipe I3. As a result of all of these factors the emission yor transfer of heat from all parts of the radiator C will besubstantially uniform throughout its length.

A modified form of radiator is indicated at C in Figs. 3 and 4. In this construction the inner and outer pipes 'I and I3 are substantially coaxial and areseparate'd throughout substantially their entire lengthby a metallic spacer 25 which may be of the general formk best shown in Fig. 4 and contacting at alternate .lines throughout its cir-v cumference with the'inner` and outer pipes, respectively. Contacting lines with the outer pipe I3 are indicated at 26, and contacts with the inner pipe 'I at 21. vIn this way the conduction outer pipe is provided for throughout the length of the radiator substantially asin the rst de` scribed form of the invention. It will be understood that Athe radiator shown in Figs.'3 and 4 Vis supplied with steam by a valve similar tothat indicated in Fig. 1, and fluids are discharged from this radiator by the same mechanisms as indicated at D and E in Fig. 1. f Alternately, either of the other forms of valves shown in Figs. 6 and 7 could be used with either `type of radiator C or C'.

Reference Willnow be made to Fig. 5 which shows a wiringdiagram for a system that controls the valve B for a cycling operation, that is, the valve is alternately opened and closed so as to admit the steam vto the radiator in-bursts and not at a continuous stream. `A pair of power sup'- ply mains are indicated at 28 and 29. At R is indicated a relay including a solenoid 30 which may be energized over thek following circuit: from main 28 through wirey 3I, resistor 32, wire 33, terminal 34, coil l3Il, terminal 35, wire 3B, resistor 3] and wire 38vto the main 29. When coil 30 is energized, it will pull down the core 39 againstthe resistance of spring 40 so as to bring the contact plate` 4I into engagement with a lower pair of fixed contacts42 land 43. .When the coil 30 is de-energized, the spring` 40 will pull up the stem 44, contact plate 4Ir and Vcore 39 so that the plate 4I will be brought against the xed stops 45 and46.

The thermostat T comprises va mercury columnv 41 which isl constantly inengagement ,with a lower contact 48 andadapted to' engage an upper fixed contact 49 at a predetermined temperature.-

This will complete a circuit'through wires 5l) and connected between terminals 34 and 35'so asto short-circuit the relay'coilll. Thermostat T a circuit will ow as follows: from main '28y through wire 53, .contacts 42, 4| and 43, wire/54, solenoid coil 9, and wire 55 to the negative main 25J.` This will draw in the core l0 so as to open the valve 5 against the resistance of spring B. This will permit steam to flow into the radiator C. yWhen the relay Ris cle-energized and the spring 40 lifts the contact plate 4I, this circuit will be broken and `the'coilf9 de-energized so as to permit the spring 8 to close the valve 5 and cut off the flow of steam to the radiator. Whenk relay R is energized, a circuit will also be completed from contact 43 through wire 5E, resistor 51, ,and wire 58 to and through the heating coil 52 and thence throughV Wire 59 to the negative main 29. l i

Assuming first that the prevailing temperature is such that the valve 5 is open and steam is being suppliedto the radiator C. At such time the auxiliary heater 52 will also be functioning and the circuit through thermostat T will close so as to short-circuit or de-energize the relay R. As a consequence the spring 40 will raise the plate 4| and break the valve-operating circuit permitting the valve 5 to close. The heater 52 will also be de-energized when the contact 4| is raised out of contact with contact 43. As a consequence the mercury in thermostat T will fall and break engagement with the fixed contact 49 so as to open the circuit through this thermostat and relay R will no longer be short-circuited. The

` relay will again close the contact 4|, thus reopening the valve 5 and causing the heater 52 to function and add heat to the thermostat T, which will rise until upper contact 49 is engaged and the cycle of events will again be repeated.

As a consequence steam will be admitted to the' radiator in successive bursts'instead of as a continuous flow. This will restrict or modulate the supply of steam to thel radiator and when the desired atmospheric temperature is attained the circuit through thermostat T will remain closed, the relay R will remain de-energized and the valve 5 will remain closed so as tono longer admit steam to the radiator.

In lieu of the electrically operated valve'just described, a manually operated valve B', as shown in Fig. l6, could :be used. This valve B comprises a movable valve member 60 adapted to close against the valve seat 6| at the upper endof the port through which steam enters from supply pipe A. The hand wheel 62 adjusts the vertical position of the valve 60 through a screw mechanism, as is usual in valves of this type. By modu latingthe lifted position of this valve the iiow of steam is adjusted or modulated, this steam' flowing through pipe 63 and connection 64 into the chamber 65 in a fitting 66. The steam flows from chamber 65 through pipe section 61 into theinlet endof inner. 'pipe 1.of the radiator. The Outermadiator. pipe I3 discharges into vthe chamber 6B of'ntting and from thence into the dis-iv charge Vpipe D, as alreadydescribed.

A secondv formpf temperature controlled valve B; (see Fig. k'7) lcouldfbe substituted for the valve B of Figg'. This-:valve comprises a. movablel valve member-B9 adapted to adiustably cooperate with` the steam' port T0 iin. controlling the` flow of steam through 4the-valve ,casing ||.4 The movable valvemember 691 is connected, through the stem member y'|21 with a -basefplate orfend member 13 engagingv Within the lower surface of` an inverted cup memaberfMwhich forms the'bottomr of a flexible bellows member.'|5 supported at its otherend withinthe fixed; standard 16. Ather-r mostatic bulb g'l'l, containing agvolume of heatresponsive fluid is positionedat, any desired locality'so asto respondto thetemperature atthat point and is connected throughthe flexible pipe, '|8'through tting 1x9 with the upper portion of the kspace Within the ybellowsmember 15. When heated, the Fluids withinfthesemembers will expand so as to expand, the ;be1lows `|5 and force down the stem 'l2 and valve member 69 toward closedvposition Thespring 89 confined between the member .|3 and an adjustingnut 8| threaded on the, tubularguide member 82isadapted to lifter open the valve member B9. Bysuitably adjusting the .manually operated nut 8| the compression of .spring 8.maybe adjusted and thus determine the temperature at which the valve "69 will be operated. vThe flow of.; steam through the valve BY'K' canthus be madeto respondto temperature changes at any, location.

We claim:

1. In a heating system, a radiator comprising an inner fed pipe, an outer radiating pipe enc1os ing the inner pipe, a plurality of radiating fins on the outer pipe, means for feeding steam into one end of the inner pipe, means for discharging fluids from the corresponding end portion of the outer pipe, the other end of the outer pipe being closed and enclosing the open end of the inner pipe, and means separate from the pipes for maintaining a constant heat-transmitting metallic connection from the inner pipe to the outer pipe throughoutsubstantially the entire length of both pipes. v,

l2. In a heating system, a radiator comprising an inner feed pipe, an outer radiating pipe enclosing the inner pipe, a plurality of radiating fins on the outer pipe, means for feeding steam into one end of the inner pipe, means for discharging uids from the corresponding end portion of the outer pipe, the other end of the outer pipe being closed and enclosing the open end of the inner pipe, and means separate from the pipes for maintainingy a constant heat-transmitting metallic connection from the inner pipe to the outer pipe throughout substantially the entire length of both pipes without preventing the return now of fluids between the pipes.

3. In a heating system, a radiator comprising an inner feed pipe, an outer radiating pipe enclosing the inner pipe, a plurality of radiating ns on the outer pipe, means for feeding steam into one end of the inner pipe, means for discharging uids from the corresponding end portion of the outer pipe, the other end of the outer pipe enclosing the open end of the inner pipe, the two pipes being non-concentric, an outer portion of the inner pipe being in heat-transmitting contact with an inner portion of the outer pipe throughout substantially the entire length of both pipes, and spacingmeans positioned between certain of the other portions of the pipes to maintain them` in contact with each other.

4. In a, heating system, a radiator comprising an inner feed pipe, an cuter radiating pipe enclosing the inner pipe, a plurality of radiating ns on the outer pipe, means for feeding steam into one end of the inner pipe, means for discharging fluids from the corresponding end portion ofthe outer pipe, the other end of the outer pipe enclosing the open end of the inner pipe, the inner pipe resting upon the bottom inner surface of the outer pipe so as to be in metallic contact therewith throughout substantially the entire lengthv of both pipes, and spacing means positioned between certain of the other portions of the pipes to maintain them in'said metallic contact with each other.

5. In a heating system, a radiator comprising an inner feed pipe, an outer radiating pipe enclosing the inner pipe, a plurality of radiating fins on the outer pipe, meansfor feeding steam into one end of the inner pipe, means for discharging uids from the corresponding end portion of the outer pipe, the other end of the outer pipe enclosing the open end of the inner pipe, the inner pipe resting upon the bottom inner surface ofthe outer pipe so as to be in metallic contact therewith throughout substantially the entire length of both pipes, and spacing means positioned between certain of the other portions of the pipes so as not to interfere with the return flow of fluids between the pipes.

6. In a heating system, a radiator comprising an inner feed pipe, an outer radiating pipe enclosing the inner pipe, a plurality of radiating fins on the outer pipe, means for feeding steam into one end of the inner pipe, means for discharging i'luids from the corresponding end portion of the outer pipe, the other end of the outer pipe enclosing the open endof the inner pipe. and metallic spacing means in heat-transmitting contact with both pipes and maintaining them in heat-transmitting contact with each otherl throughout substantially their entire length.

7. In a heating system, a radiator comprising an inner feed pipe, an outer radiating pipe enclosing the inner pipe, a plurality of radiating fins on the outer pipe, means for feeding steam into one end of the inner pipe, means for discharging uids from the'corresponding end portion of the outer pipe, the other'end of the outer pipeienclosing the' open end of the inner pipe, and metallic spacing means in heat-transmitting contact with both pipes throughout substantially the entire length thereof. y

8. In a heating system, a radiator comprising an inner feed pipe, an outer radiating pipe enclosing the inner pipe, a plurality of radiating' fins on the outer pipe, means for feeding steam into one end of the inner pipe, means for discharging fluids from the corresponding end portion of the outer pipe, the other end of the outer pipe enclosing the open end of the inner pipe, and metallic spacing means in heat-transmitting contact with both pipes throughout substantially the entire length thereof without preventing the return now of fluids between the pipes.

TIMOTHY J. LEHANE. JOHN VAN VULPEN. 

